Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Advice for the Premier

Ontario Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty is in some political hot water these days thanks to a damning auditor general's report.

According to this report the Liberal government dished out $32.5 million in "year-end grants" to assorted Ontario cultural groups, in a process that was "not open, transparent, or accountable."

Sounds bad. Now more than ever, Premier McGuinty needs a good spin doctor. But unfortunately his main political advisor is too busy spinning to save his own skin.

So I will fill the void and offer the Premier some advice. Here is my memo:

Dear Premier:

With an election just months away, you really need to deal with this Auditor General fiasco. Fortunately, I know a way to not only stop the bleeding but to turn this whole situation into a real vote getter.

How?

Simple. I note the Auditor General says you gave $1 million to the Ontario Cricket Association. OK nobody cares about this obscure sport. But what if you said the Ontario Cricket Association wasn't about the sport but about the actual insect?

Tell voters that crickets are actually an endangered species and that the Association needs the million bucks to set up a wild life preserve to protect these cute little creatures.

Imagine the photo op of you handing over the check to the president of the Association, with thousands of grateful crickets chirping in the background.

This is political gold.

You would certainly win over the votes of animal lovers and secure a strangle-hold on a long over looked voting bloc -- entomologists.

Yes, this plan might require you to do a little lying, but that should not be too hard, after all you are a Liberal.

About Me

Gerry Nicholls is a communications consultant and writer who has been called a “political warrior” a “brilliant strategist” and one of the “canniest political observers in Canada.”
He has worked as a consultant in both the United States and Canada and was formerly a senior officer in the National Citizens Coalition.
A regular columnist with the Ottawa Hill Times, his work has also appeared in the Globe and Mail, the National Post and in the Sun Media chain; and he has appeared on countless TV and radio public affairs programs. He is the author of the book, Loyal to the Core, Harper, Me and the NCC.

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